Round-up of all the local soccer action
at Travers Insurances Park
Jenkinson brilliantly spun his defender to reach the by-line, before cutting the ball back to Keegan, who had the simple task of stroking the ball into the back of an empty net.
It was as good a start as Wicklow could have hoped for, but also seemed to awaken Midlands from their slumber.
The dangerous Kiefer Kelly flicked the ball around his marker down the left wing to send himself one-v-one with Fionn Doyle in the Wicklow goal. His subsequent strike was tame, however, and Doyle was able to gather.
That chance, as well as a wellsaved strike from Conor Bracken following a loose ball in midfield, foreshadowed the Midlands comeback, which kick-started with just over ten minutes left in the half.
After referee Keith Neville adjudged that Conor Bracken had been fouled on the edge of the area, substitute Alex Rooney took the shot on, only for the ball to deflect off the wall and fly past the helpless Wicklow goalie.
The visitors had their tails up and took the lead as the game entered injury-time at the end of the first-half. Bracken, a constant menace for the Wicklow defence, skilfully turned the ball around full-back Finn Byrne.
Bracken took the ball past two of the Wicklow central defenders, before sliding the ball past the onrushing Fionn Doyle to grab the 2-1 lead at half-time.
Despite a change at half-time – goalkeeper Charlie Ward coming in for Niall O’Shaughnessy, with Fionn Doyle being moved up front – Wicklow were unable to fashion any chances against a well-drilled Midlands side.
In fact, it was Midlands who looked likely to extend their lead, only for Ward to save phenomenally down to his left-hand side after Darragh Prendergast had played a 1-2 with teammate Cillian Geary.
Wicklow were unable to respond to this profound scare, and Midlands would seal the deal just three minutes later.
With eight minutes left on the clock, the impressive Alex Rooney reversed the ball into Joe Keogh on the edge of the area.
He then worked the ball into Bracken, who buried the ball into the top left corner to secure Midlands’ passage into the Leinster final.
WICKLOW DSL:
Fionn Doyle; Finn Byrne, Leo Byrne, Adam Healy, Cian Ryan, Glen Connolly, Kieran Griffith, Eoghan Carroll, Niall O’Shaughnessy, Oisin Keegan, Ruairi Jenkinson. Subs used: Charlie Ward, Mikey Nolan, Darragh Higgins, Fionn Scott.
Szymon Skura; Liam Staunton, Daire O’Connor, Darragh Kenny, Tommy Duane, Fola Odekunle, Brandon Wykes, Darragh Prendergast, Kiefer Kelly, Cillian Geary, Conor Bracken. Subs used: Joe Keogh, Robbie McEvoy, Ajay Cleary, Alex Rooney.
MIDLANDS SL: